Climate impacts on Iraq will be more dangerous than wars and terrorism

[size=52]Climate impacts on Iraq will be more dangerous than wars and terrorism[/size]

[size=45]All environmental and weather indicators lead to an expected bleak future for Iraq, overshadowed by hunger, thirst, migration and poverty, due to climatic changes that Iraq will become the most affected Arab country, according to a report published by the British Financial Times newspaper.[/size]
[size=45]The report of the newspaper, which was reviewed by Al-Mada, says that "the potential environmental impact of climate change is the most serious long-term threat facing Iraq, and its danger exceeds the wars, sanctions, terrorism and internal conflicts that the country has witnessed over the past years."[/size]
[size=45]The report indicated that Iraq is the fifth country vulnerable to climate change in the world, and very high temperatures have become a noticeable fact throughout the country, droughts are more frequent and dust storms more severe, desertification affects 39% of Iraq's land, and increased salinity threatens agriculture by about 54% of the cultivated area in the country.[/size]
[size=45]The dams on the sources and tributaries of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which are considered the lifeblood of the country, have also led to a significant decrease in water flow, which has led to a significant shortage of water resources. According to the Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources, the country may face a deficit of up to 10.8 billion cubic meters of water annually by 2035.[/size]
[size=45]This will be exacerbated by a combination of demographic and environmental factors, and the population of Iraq is expected to double from 40 million today to 80 million by 2050, and income, which is largely dependent on oil production, will decline dramatically as a result of the world abandoning fossil fuels. as it transitions to clean, sustainable energy.[/size]
[size=45]The indirect effects of climate change will be as severe, if not more severe, than the direct effects, and the loss of income may lead to migration to cities whose infrastructure is not yet able to support the current population.[/size]
[size=45]The newspaper stressed that confronting climate change must be an urgent national priority, but it is also an opportunity to diversify Iraq’s economy, support renewable and clean energy, participate in carbon markets, increase the resilience of environmentally and economically vulnerable regions, and provide better and more sustainable living conditions for citizens.[/size]
[size=45]And the report considered that "in aspiration to a better future, Iraq should return to the recent green past, with the project to revive Mesopotamia, which is a set of projects that focus on working with the public and private sectors to achieve climate goals."[/size]
[size=45]The report pointed out that "one way is through large-scale national efforts to reforestation in the south and west of the country by planting palm trees and restoring forests in the mountainous and urban areas of Kurdistan. Other ideas include modernizing water management and increasing the use of solar energy."[/size]
[size=45]The newspaper considered that Iraq has the ability to bring together the countries of the region to address the threat of climate change, as it is located in the geographical heart of the Middle East, and is blessed with a rich biological diversity.[/size]
[size=45]The newspaper concluded, "There is no doubt that the task is daunting, but tackling climate change also represents an opportunity for Iraq and the region to take measures that will leave them on a more solid footing in the face of the challenges of the coming decades[/size]
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